The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, and Dracula

Linköping University Department of Culture and Communication English The Changing Role of Science in Frankenstein, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, and Dracula Lisa Jacobsson D-Course: Literary Specialisation Autumn Term 2010 Supervisor: Margaret Omberg Table of Contents Introduction 3 Chapter 1: Scientific Progress and the Fear of Uncontrolled Creativity 6 Chapter 2: Science and the Fear of Unpredictable Degeneration 14 Chapter 3: Science and the Reinstatement of Human and Religious Values 23 Conclusion 31 Works Cited 34 2 Introduction During the 19th Century, science underwent astonishing advancements in a wide range of fields: remarkable progress was seen in electricity, medicine, biology, and social sciences to name only a few. Carol A. Senf points to how the 19th Century “witnessed unprecedented scientific discoveries and technological developments that have helped to determine the shape and nature of our own age” (5). These advancements had not only a profound impact on everyday life, they also fuelled the imagination of artists. Mary Shelley, Robert Louis Stevenson and Bram Stoker are all children of the 19th Century, inspired by its dynamic and thought-provoking qualities. Living and working in an era where, to Christa Knellwolf and Jane Goodall, “the magic and mystique of science was crossing paths” and where “it was impossible to determine which of a range of mind- boggling prospects might become an actuality”, it is not surprising that scientific development was to become a abundant source of inspiration (8). From this source, both hopeful and horrifying questions could be posed, questions concerning the direction of scientific progress. Was it an entirely positive force aiding people in their lives or were there darker elements and unseen dangers? These questions are at the core of three classic horror stories of the 19th Century: Shelley’s Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus (1818), Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886) and Stoker’s Dracula (1897). Spanning the century, they mirror the revolutionary progress of science as they tie in with actual advancements. The works move from the first decades of the century, where electricity and chemistry dominated the progress made, to the end of the century where biology, evolutionary theory and psychology were scientific forerunners. Thus, Anne K. Mellor states that Shelley founded Frankenstein’s venture to form a man “on the most advanced scientific research of the early nineteenth century”, i.e. chemistry and electricity (305). Approaching the end of the century, the scientific focus has shifted somewhat and Julia Reid notes how Stevenson expresses “the atavism unveiled by evolutionist psychiatry, which focused on the survival of primitive elements in human consciousness” (97). Stoker reflects the interest in the human psyche in a new world when, at the end of the century, according to Senf, he “wove together plausible science with both Gothic horror and an interest in the workings of the human heart” (138). Before presenting my argument, I wish to make a brief introduction to each of the works, in order to demonstrate how their principal themes connect to science and the consequences of scientific development. In Frankenstein, Shelley explores the fears created by the seemingly limitless possibilities recently offered to scientists. Since progress was being made in completely 3 new areas, the consequences of these possibilities were equally unknown. Knellwolf and Goodall point out that scientists “investigating completely new areas of interest had very little sense of where their discoveries would lead them”, which generated fear in the public mind (1). Furthermore, Shelley introduces with her character Viktor Frankenstein the alarming idea that, for sections of the scientific community, morality and forethought are of little importance. Bernard E. Rollin claims that “the truth of moral statements is unrelated to the truth of scientific statement” (16). David Punter adds that the major theme in Frankenstein “relies upon and even exploits public anxieties about scientific progress and about the direction of this progress if undertaken in the absence of moral guidance” (242). A similar concern provides the major theme in The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. However, the novella also deals with another question brought to light by evolutionary theory: degeneration, the downside of progression. Reid pictures how “unresolved questions plagued evolutionist thought: was the current direction of change progressive, and could it be reversed? (7). The frightening and atavistic Mr Hyde, Dr Jekyll’s inherent lower self, might be seen as evidence of baser elements surviving in modern man. In addition to threatening humanity, degeneration also puts modern society as such at risk. Punter points to how The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde poses “a question appropriate to an age of imperial decline: how much . can one lose – individually, socially, nationally – and still remain a man?” (239-240). This question is taken to its extreme in Dracula, where the preservation of modern man and society also is at stake, now facing a vampire menace. In stark contrast to the two other works, science is here depicted as a provider of shelter against the ancient, non-human threat. To Senf, the novel expresses Stoker’s belief that “science (or more accurately, technology) can help people to solve the problems that he witnessed in his own day” (135). Science thus emerges as a bringer of hope and the righteous battle against Dracula fought by Stoker’s scientists Van Helsing and Dr Seward might be seen as mirroring the development Roy MacLeod traces in the late 19th Century where “science was invested with new values – of instrumentality, commodity, and utility – and its moral value seen as an ‘object lesson’ in citizenship and efficiency” (3). The aim of this essay is to show the changeable role of science in Frankenstein, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, and Dracula, how scientific progress can constitute a friend as well as a foe and that the direction is decided by the human factor. The scope of these works will demonstrate how science initially forms a force of evil, creating fears, but later transforms into a force of good, redeeming human and religious values. In Frankenstein, the fear of uncontrollable progress is explored whereas the fear of unpredictable degeneration is discussed in The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The idea of progress through science is redeemed in Dracula, 4 through its assistance in the overthrow of evil. The method is an analysis of how and why science is used and the results thereof, scrutinizing the fear of frantic progress and erratic degeneration as well as how these fears are laid to rest by the reinstatement of human and religious values to be found in science. The development of the role of science in the span of the three works, from evil and threatening to good and hopeful, will run through the analysis. The three works share similarities in their narrative technique, belonging firmly to the Gothic tradition. They are all made up of a multitude of narrators, giving accounts through various means such as letters and diaries. In Frankenstein, the structure is akin to a Chinese box and Punter claims that the novel “has a simple plot, which is greatly complicated by sophisticated narrative devices” (122). Even though The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde might easily be regarded as a rather modern detective story, Reid sees how “its narrative form – an assemblage of collated testimonies – is also shaped by Gothic generic conventions” (94). These conventions are also present in Dracula with its collage of letters, diaries and clippings from newspapers. This Gothic structure of narration allows for two things: first, to approach the remarkable truth from different angles through the multitude of narrators, and second, to anchor it in reality by creating a distance to the evidence presented. The three works share more than similarities in narrative technique; they also possess a comparable literary status. They are all considered classics and are referred to in a wide variety of contexts, sometimes correctly but perhaps for the most part incorrectly, diminishing their richness and complexity. Regarding them as rather transparent horror stories is thus a misconception, even though it should perhaps be pointed out that Dracula is generally considered as the least fine literary work, and has never had the same literary status as the others. The massive popular interest bred by these works has obviously left its mark in the academic world where they are the subject of numerous, not to say countless, studies. My contribution is the focus on science and its implications, how science moves from evil to good and the importance of leaving a human mark on the progress of science. The works of some critics already mentioned in this introduction have been particularly valuable to me during the work on the essay: Knellwolf’s research on Frankenstein’s fatal attraction to the new sciences, Reid’s study on Dr Jekyll’s dealings with degeneration and evolution, and Senf’s examination of Van Helsing’s humanistic use of science. 5 Chapter 1: Scientific Progress and the Fear of Uncontrolled Creativity This first chapter will focus on rapid scientific progress and how it awakens the fear of uncontrolled creativity; what might happen if the new possibilities science offers are explored without any restraints. Illustrating this fear is Mary Shelley’s portrait of Victor Frankenstein in Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus, a scientist taking full advantage of the potential of science to create life without reflecting over the moral or social consequences. In the first section of the chapter, the protagonist’s motives for turning to science are examined, how the motives range from good intentions to purely egotistical reasons and to the quest for glory.

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